2013–2014 Annual Report

…inspiring creativity, healing and community involvement

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Imagine a world where creativity is valued and community life abounds with opportunities for creative expression through the arts

At OV-CAOS, we COntRibute by OffeRing:

• Spaceforpeopletocreatetogether,withoutjudgementorcritique

• Spacethatwelcomespeopletocomeastheyare,whatevertheirexperienceswithartandlife

• Spacetobeopenandcurious,totrynewartforms,makemistakes,makeamess,andloseourselvesinthecreativeprocess

• Opportunitiestocometogetherandcomealivethroughsong,dance,artmaking,writingandtalkingaboutwhatmatterstousasindividualsandcommunities

• Accesstoresourcesthatincludeskilledartist-facilitatorsandarichvarietyofapproaches,techniquesandmaterials.

HometoastudioinKillaloe,wealsowandertheOttawaValley,seedingcreativityandholistichealthinthecommunitieswevisit.

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insideCoordinator’s Message.......................................4

The Year in Review ..............................................6

2013–14 Workshop Evaluations .........................7

Creative Aging Through Creative Arts ...............8

The Year in Pictures ..........................................10

The Money .........................................................12

The Strategy ......................................................13

The Learning .....................................................13

The People ........................................................14

Thank you ..........................................................15

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Coordinator’s Message:The2013–14yearbeganinthespringwithActing Up in Killaloe,ourfirstyouththeatreprogram,anditcontinuedintothesummerwiththeopeningofthenewNorthStreetStudioinKillaloe.Surroundingtheseevents,anamazingnumberofpeopleofallagesparticipatedincreativeartsworkshops.Inthisreportyouwillreadaboutandseephotographsdescribingouractivities.

Skilledartist-facilitatorsleadallworkshops.Thisyear,OV-CAOSartists-in-residence—JudeCrossland,BarryGoldie,EmmaManchester,JenniferBennettPond,andMeganSpencer—werejoinedbyguestartistsCathyLampi,EmmaRoseMacDonald,DonnaMarieMcLaughlin,andBrianNichols.RuthHoward,thedynamicartisticdirectorofJumbliesTheatretravelledfromTorontototreatourmemberstoaninspiringpresentationoncommunityartsattheannualmeetinginNovember.

Attheannualmeeting,foundingdirectorsBlairVovyodicandMaryCrnkovichsteppeddownandMeganSpencerandEmmaManchesterwereelectedtotheBoard.TheyjoinAnyaGansterer,OV-CAOSChair,andotherfoundingdirectorsFranMurphy,JudeCrosslandandDonnaMarieMcLaughlin.TheBoardincludesacombinationofartists-in-residenceandcommunitymemberswithexperienceinarts,health,andcommunityaffairs,andthishelpsinnavigatingthesensitivegroundbetweenpolicyandprogramdelivery.Onbehalfoftheboard,IsendaheartfeltthankstoBlairandMaryfortheircontributionstoourearlydevelopmentandtotheOntarioTrilliumFoundationforsupportingtheprocessofbuildinganewcommunityorganization.

BestwishestoallandIhopetoseeyouataworkshopin2014.

—Linda Archibald, Studio Coordinator

5ABIGAILCLAPPERwITHONEOFHERHANDMADEPuPPETS

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the year in Review

OV-CAOS wORkShOpS

• 55workshopsdelivered• 375participants• 30mobileworkshops• 1newstudioopenedinKillaloe• 293individualvisitstothestudio• 1performanceofanoriginalplay• 602volunteerhours• 60members

“I liked everything: indulging myself, the open and accepting atmosphere generated by the facilitators” —workshopparticipant,CreateaBook,DiscoveraStory

“… the interplay between people, new ideas for the project, seeing how other people attack the project, and interacting with others” —workshopparticipant,IlluminationsthroughLanternMaking

“I liked the opportunity; the feelings of centeredness, concentration, depth, trust, wholeness that evolved within the group over the day” —workshopparticipant,SocialJusticeandtheArts

DETAILFROMAMIxEDMEDIALAByRINTHCREATEDBywENDyMILNEINTHEwORKSHOPSOCIALJuSTICEANDTHEARTS

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Aging Creatively through Creative Arts: three interactive workshops for people living

with dementia and their caregivers

wORkShOpS 2013–14 Workshop EvaluationsEvaluationformsarecollectedfromparticipantsattheendofeachworkshop.ThesewereanalysedandreportedonbyourEvaluationTeam:TerryKyle,LeahLewis,andAndyTrull.FollowingisasummaryofthekeythemesintheevaluationreportOV-CAOS Fosters CreativitypreparedonFebruary27,2014:

• Fosteringcreativity:TheOpenStudiooffersparticipantsachancetobecreative.

• Workshopdesignandfacilitation:Participantsappreciatedtheopen,acceptingatmospherecreatedbythefacilitatorsandbuiltintothedesignoftheworkshops.

• The“Nocommentrule”wasnotuniversallyliked,butitwasacknowledgedascontributingtonon-competitiveness.

• Engagingwiththematerials:whateverthetask—amask,apuppet,aprint,apainting,apoem,oraplay—manyparticipantsdescribedtheenjoymentoflearninghowtoworkwithnewmaterialsandtechniques.

• Workingwithothers:participantsenjoyedconnectingwithandcreatingalongsideothers.

• Moreprogrammingandmoretime:Almosthalfoftheparticipants(49%)reportedadesireformoreOV-CAOSworkshopsormoretimeinworkshops.

• Carryingitforward:Manypeopleexpressedadesiretointegrateartmakingintolifeoutsidethestudio,tocontinuetobecreative,andtobringartmakingfurtherintothecommunity.

Acting up in killaloe youth theatre group

Create a book, Discover a Story

Relief printmaking

Shadow puppets

Multi-media puppet-making Series

Maskmakingfabric Art

Memory box: preserving Memories

through artmaking and writing

Madawaska Valley hospice Volunteer training

found Art Sculpture and Drama games

for CRC youthheroes, Mavericks, and

guardian Spirits: paper Dolls for everyone

Social Justice and the Arts

exploring through effigy: Dollmaking with a Difference

improvisation, a mirror to

our perceptions of the world

greeting the Dark: Creative illuminations

through lantern making

Courting the Return of the Sun:

A celebration of paper lanterns

Open Studio process: Creative expression for Adults

Open Studio process Series at the Satellite School (paint, 3-D sculpture, mixed media sculpture,

printmaking, body mapping, all media)

found Object Sculpture

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Creative Aging Through Creative ArtsReport on a pilot project for people living with dementia and their caregivers

ThreeinteractiveworkshopswereheldatHeritageManorinPembrokeinpartnershipwiththeAlzheimer’sSocietyofOttawaandRenfrewCounty.JudeCrosslandandMeganSpencerdevelopedanddeliveredtheprogram.Theevaluationhighlightedthevalueofcreativeengagement;theopportunitytoconnectwithotherswithinthegroup;thefriendly,supportiveenvironment;andthejoyofconnectingwithmemories.AcopyofthereportisavailablebycontactingOV-CAOS.

“I learned that it is a good thing to stimulate memories and get them down on paper” —workshopparticipant

OPPOSITEPAGE

Into the Mind and Back Again,anoriginalplayperformedtoanenthusiasticaudienceof80peopleattheKillaloeLionsHallonJune15,2013:SeventeenyoungpeoplecreatedandperformedtheplayundertheguidanceofBarryGoldie,EmmaManchesterandEmmaRoseMacDonald.

Here’swhatsomeoftheaudiencememberssaid:

Wow! Absolutely amazing. Let’s see more of this kind of stuff!

Keep putting on shows!

Thrilled at the thought of my young kids being able to do this!

This is great—for the kids, the adults, and the community.

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ACOuPLEINTHECREATIVEAGINGwORKSHOPwORKINGONAJOINTPROJECT

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the year in pictures

THEyEARINPICTuRES,CLOCKwISEFROMTOPLEFT:EmmaManchesterwiththeyouththeatregroup;maskmakingworkshop;youththeatreoutdoorrehearsal;RuthHowardmakingprintsattheannualmeeting;twophotosfromthepuppetmakingseries;participantsatannualmeeting;JudeCrossland;“overlappinghands”fromthecreativeagingworkshop;andMeganSpencerandyoungparticipantswithshadowpuppets.

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the Money Fiscal Accountability

TheOttawaValleyCreativeArtsOpenStudioreceivedagrantof$40,600fromtheOntarioTrilliumFoundation,$14,574fromtheNewHorizonsforSeniorsProgram,andraised$3,880foratotalrevenueof$59,054inthe2013–14fiscalyear.

expenSeS

undertheOntarioTrilliumFoundation(OTF)grant,expensesincluded$9,446inprogramcosts,$27,120inemploymentcosts,$7098inadministration,(rent,telephone,insurance,etc.)and$251forequipment.Artsuppliesandexpensesnototherwisecovered($4,145)werepaidforwithfundsraisedbyOV-CAOS.Thesearethecostsofrunningtheorganization.webeganlastyearwithasurplusof$4,330intheOTFaccount,mostofwhichwasspentinthecurrentyear.TherewerenoexpensesthisyearundertheNewHorizonsgrant:itwasreceivedinMarch2014andtheprogramrunsuntilMarch2015.

“I learned to share what I was doing with my family and was amazed at the conversations that resulted. Maybe my family needs a reminder of ‘memories’” —workshopparticipant,MemoryBox/PreservingMemories

pARtiCipAnt LeARning

“I learned to dare to paint”

“I learned to listen to myself and others”

“ I found that I love making puppets”

“I learned more about myself and letting go; more acceptance of others and other ideas”

“I learned that we are all normal in our un-normalness—through chaos and mess we may find order”

“I learned not to feel so alone—the importance of sharing honest feelings in a non-judgmental place”

“I learned that doing something different can be a lot of fun and also thought provoking”

PAPERLANTERNINTHESTuDIOwINDOw

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the Learning Organizational Learning

AtOV-CAOS,evaluationispartofacontinuouscyclethatbeginswithprogramdesignandincludesworkshopdelivery,collectingfeedbackfromparticipantsandfacilitators,analyzingthefeedback,andthenusingthelessonslearnedtoimproveprogramdesignanddelivery.

“…itisouropinionthatOV-CAOSisdoingsomethingrightastheyofferavarietyofworkshopstodiversepopulationsandthedataremainconsistentlypositiveinregardstotheefficacyofitsprogramsandstatedgoals.”(OV-CAOSEvaluationReportbyTerryKyle,LeahLewisandAndyTrull)

ingReDientS Of SuCCeSS

• Judgement-freecreativespace• Skilledartist-facilitators• Arichvarietyofworkshoptopicsandartmaterials• willingparticipants:curious,interested,fun-lovingpeoplewhoarewillingtoshowupandexpressthemselvescreatively

• Opencommunityartsworkshopsaswellasworkshopsdesignedforspecificpopulationssuchasyouth,seniors,andcaregivers

• Affordableworkshops• ThecombinationofStudioworkshopsandmobile,off-siteactivities

• Activesupportofcommunitymembersandorganizations

the Strategy Building Sustainability

FundingfromtheOntarioTrilliumFoundationmadeitpossibleforOV-CAOStobeginofferingcreativeartsprograms.Asweenterthethirdandfinalyearofthisprogram,ourattentionisfocusedonbuildingasolid,sustainableorganization.Boardmembersareworkingwithasmallgroupofvolunteerstocompleteastrategicplanthatwillguideusintoasustainablefuture,afuturethatincludesworkshopsandprogramsofferedatnocosttoparticipantsthoughacombinationoffundraising,donations,partnerships,andsuccessfulprojectproposals.Afterthesuccessofourfirsttwoyears,weareoptimistic.Ifyouhaveanyideasandwanttohelpout,wewouldlovetohearfromyou.

buiLDing On SuCCeSS

InMarch,thefederalNewHorizonsforSeniorsProgramacceptedaproposalwesubmittedinpartnershipwiththeKillaloeandDistrictPublicLibraryforaprojectcalledOurHistory,OurStories:DocumentingMemoriesThroughCreativeArts.Thisprojectwillbringareaseniorstogethertosharetheirlifeexperiences,memories,knowledge,andstoriesthroughthecreativearts.SupportedbyOV-CAOSartists,seniorvolunteers,andayouthcommitteefromthelibrary,wewillcreateanexhibitionbasedonlocalhistoryandthestoriesofseniors.workbeginsinMayandwillcontinueuntilMarch2015.

“I really, really appreciate that this has become available in our community” —workshopparticipant

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the people

bOARD Of DiReCtORS

AnyaGansterer,ChairMeganSpencer,SecretaryJudeCrossland,TreasurerFranMurphy,DirectorDonnaMarieMcLaughlin,DirectorEmmaManchester,Director

StuDiO COORDinAtOR

LindaArchibald

ARtiStS-in-ReSiDenCe

JudeCrossland:fibrearts,expressiveartsBarryGoldie:theatreartsEmmaManchester:visualartist,youththeatreJenniferBennettPond:visualartistMeganSpencer:visualartist,puppetmaker,puppeteer

2013 gueSt ARtiStS

RuthHoward:communitytheatreKathyLampi:writingEmmaRoseMacDonald:youththeatreDonnaMarieMcLaughlin:printmakerBrianNichols:socialjusticeandthearts

(LTOR)BOARDMEMBERSDONNAMARIEMCLAuGHLIN,EMMAMANCHESTER,ANyAGANSTERER,JuDECROSSLAND,MEGANSPENCER,FRANMuRPHy.

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thank you

“I liked the guided spontaneity and play with others” —workshopparticipant,Improvisation,amirrortoourperceptionsoftheworld

OV-CAOSwishestothankeveryonewhodonatedtime,money,moralsupport,artsupplies,andfurnishingsforthenewStudioandtheorganizationsthatcontributedfinancialandin-kindsupport.Thankyouall!

Afelskie’sShoes(Killaloe)

AlgonquinCollege

JoanArchibald

ArainaBond

RavenBoulanger

PeterBenner

PeggyBridgland

AbigailClapper

CommunityResourceCentre(Killaloe)Inc.

MaryCrnkovich

JudeCrossland

SkyeFerris

AnyaGansterer

AugustaGoldie

BarryGoldie

LesHershoff

RuthHoward

BethKennedy

TerryKyle

KillaloeandAreaLionsClub

KillaloeandDistrictSeniorCitizensFriendshipClub

KillaloeandDistrictPublicLibrary

LeahLewis

MartaLewandowski

EmmaRoseMacDonald

MadawaskaValleyHospice

MadonnaHouse

DonnaMalette

EmmaManchester

LucyManchester

DonnaMarieMcLaughlin

JoanMilne

wendyMilne

FranMurphy

NewHorizonsforSeniorsProgram

OntarioTrilliumFoundation

GwenStewart-Plotz

ElizabethPopham

RriPovey

JenniferBennettPond

ThePondFamily

ValentinaandMarioRosandic

MeganSpencer

PatThurston

AndyTrull,

JannValleau

BlairVoyvodic

Andaspecialthankyoutoeveryonewhoparticipatedinaworkshopandmadeartwithusovertheyear!

DesignedbyBethKennedyPrintedbyBayberryLaneDesigns,Barry’sBay

The Ottawa Valley Creative Arts Open Studio (OV-CAOS) is a non-profit organization established in 2011. Our objectives are to:

a) Promote the integration of visual arts, music, dance, and other creative arts into the lives of individuals, families, and communities in the Ottawa Valley;

b) Promote awareness of the relationship between creative arts and holistic health; and

c) Develop and offer creative arts programs and activities designed to support and enhance the wellbeing of community members.

OV-CAOS (pronounced OV/kā,äs/): From the swirl of play, the unknown, the wondering, the releasing, the unearthing, the epiphanies and the myriad conversations by and through the arts, OV-CAOS lights a path for the young to the old to create and engage in a well and vibrant community.

OttAwA VALLey CReAtiVe ARtS Open StuDiOpO bOx 101, kiLLALOe, On k0J 2A0 • 613-559-0779

www.ov-caos.org